WOMEN AND EQUALITY

British Humanist Association

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much funding the Equality and Human Rights Commission has given to the British Humanist Association since the Commission's inception; and for what purposes.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has provided the British Humanist Association a total of £35,000 to fund a programme of work with the stated outcome to deliver 'increased understanding of issues of religion or belief in the context of equality and human rights within the voluntary sector, media and general public; via research, conferences, guidance documents and media work'.

Charities

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2009,  Official Report, column 1312W, on charities, how many  (a) charities and  (b) faith-based charities have applied for funding from the Government Equalities Office and been declined since 12 October 2007.

Maria Eagle: One of the 28 applications for support from the special fund for rape crisis centres was declined as the applicant did not meet all the eligibility criteria set out in my answer to PQ 251980, on 24 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 738-9W.
	No applications from faith-based charities have been received and declined.

Hospitality: Equality and Human Rights Commission

Paul Goodman: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much the Equality and Human Rights Commission spent on entertainment of each type in 2008-09.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has spent £6,151 on hospitality in 2008-09.

Human Rights

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the  (a) timetable and  (b) remit of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's inquiry into human rights in Britain is.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission launched its Human Rights Inquiry in April 2008 and is due to report in spring 2009. The terms of reference are:
	To assess progress towards the effectiveness and enjoyment of a culture of respect for human rights in Great Britain
	To consider how the current human rights framework might best be developed and used to realise the vision of a society built on fairness and respect, confident in all aspects of its diversity.
	The inquiry, which covers England and Wales, will investigate:
	Public attitudes to the Human Rights Act
	How the Human Rights Act is working
	How it is used by public authorities and other organisations where appropriate.
	Further information about the inquiry including the terms of reference can be found on the Commission's website:
	http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/proiects/humanrightsinquiry/Pages/HumanrightsInquiry.aspxx

Travelling People

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality in which planning cases relating to Travellers the Equality and Human Rights Commission has made an intervention since it was established.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has only intervened in the case of McCarthy and Others v Basildon district council.
	The EHRC intervened in this particular appeal in order to advise on how the law in relation to race and disability discrimination should be applied in cases involving Gypsy and Travellers evictions. The EHRC offered guidance on how councils should come to these decisions to ensure they meet their legal obligations to go about such decisions in a fair and transparent way.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Small Businesses: Wiltshire

James Gray: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in  (a) North Wiltshire constituency,  (b) Wiltshire and  (c) Swindon in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of small to medium-sized enterprises registered in (a) North Wiltshire constituency, (b) Wiltshire and (c) Swindon in each year since 1997. (259504)
	Annual statistics on business size and location are available from the ONS release on UK Business: Activity, Size and Location. The table below contains enterprise counts from 2000 to 2008. These data are not available prior to 2000.
	
		
			  Count of small and medium enterprises in Swindon UA, Wiltshire county and North Wiltshire 
			  Employee size  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  0 to 49 (small)  
			 Swindon UA 4,820 4,970 4,615 4,440 4,435 4,595 4,715 4,860 5,170 
			 Wiltshire county 15,905 16,300 16,630 16,685 17,065 17,780 18,050 18,850 19,350 
			 North Wiltshire 4,255 4,360 4,420 4,470 4,565 4,795 4,810 5,095 5,300 
			   
			  50 to 249 (medium)  
			 Swindon UA 105 115 110 105 95 100 105 115 115 
			 Wiltshire county 195 185 205 200 215 205 220 220 225 
			 North Wiltshire 35 40 40 40 50 45 60 65 65

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Jenny Watson

David Heath: To ask the honourable Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what further information the Speaker's Committee has received about the outside interests of the chairman of the Electoral Commission.

Peter Viggers: During the debate on 17 December 2008 on the Motion to appoint Jenny Watson as chairman of the Electoral Commission, I informed the House that Ms Watson had agreed to give up all her other paid appointments, with the exception of her role as a member of the board of the Audit Commission. Ms Watson has subsequently informed the Speaker's Committee that she wishes to retain another of her paid appointments, as a non-executive director of the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP). WRAP is a publicly-funded company which works with businesses and consumers to encourage recycling.
	The Speaker's Committee has considered Ms Watson's request and has concluded that there is no conflict of interest. Neither, in the Committee's judgment, does Ms Watson's retention of her two non-executive roles impinge on her ability to fulfil her commitment to work three days a week as chairman of the Electoral Commission. Ms Watson works three days a month for the Audit Commission and a further two days a month for WRAP.

TRANSPORT

Roads: Accidents

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group were (i) slightly and (ii) seriously injured whilst (A) crossing the road in and (B) taking part in a public demonstration in Parliament square in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In 2007, two pedestrians were slightly injured in reported personal injury road accidents while crossing the road in Parliament square—one male casualty in December and one female casualty in April. There was one seriously injured male casualty in January. All three casualties were adults aged 16 to 59 years old.
	Information on the number of collisions involving persons taking part in public demonstrations is not collected.

Roads: Accidents

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents occurred in Parliament square in each of the last 12 months; how many  (a) involved and  (b) were found to have been caused by persons taking part in public demonstrations opposite Carriage Gates; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury road accidents in 2007 that occurred in Parliament square are given in the following table:
	
		
			   Injury accidents 
			 January 2 
			 February 0 
			 March 0 
			 April 3 
			 May 1 
			 June 3 
			 July 1 
			 August 0 
			 September 1 
			 October 0 
			 November 0 
			 December 1 
			   
			 Total 12 
		
	
	Information on the number of collisions involving or caused by persons taking part in public demonstrations opposite 'Carriage Gates' is not collected.

Roads: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 23W, on roads: Lancashire, how many meetings his officials have held with Lancashire county council officials about work supported by a road safety partnership grant not specific to the A59; where those meetings were held; and what decisions were made at those meetings.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport (DFT) awarded Lancashire county council a Road Safety Partnership Grant of £15,000 in May 2007 for the purpose of developing a web-based interactive road safety auditor's checklist, for use across the country.
	Relating to this, a DFT officer has met with Lancashire county council officers six times to monitor progress and to advise about the project. These meetings were held in Lancashire county council's offices in Preston.
	The award of a further partnership grant project involving Lancashire county council was announced on 4 March. There have been no meetings between officials and those of the county council about this work since it has been supported by partnership grant. However officials have met during the formulation of Lancashire's bid for funding support.

Roads: Safety

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of road safety partnership grants in  (a) Lancashire and  (b) England.

Jim Fitzpatrick: An assessment of the effectiveness of road safety partnership grants in England is in progress. It will be completed when results from the first round of projects are available.
	This first round of road safety partnership grant projects in England, which includes a project in Lancashire, is due for completion this spring.

Rolling Stock

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, on new trains (investment), where the assembly facility for the new rolling stock for the East Coast and Great Western main lines will be located; and whether it will be located in an area which attracts Government development grants.

Paul Clark: Agility Trains has indicated that the facility will be located in either Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Gateshead or Sheffield. Government grants are given out according to exacting criteria and Agility Trains will need to speak to the appropriate Regional Development Agency and to UK Trade and Investments in order to ascertain their ability to attract this type of support.

Rolling Stock

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, on new trains (investment), how the 2,500 new direct jobs relating to the contract to supply new rolling stock for the East Coast and Great Western main lines will be allocated in terms of  (a) function and  (b) location.

Paul Clark: The following information has been provided by Agility Trains.
	300 staff will be employed in the UK developing the six new manufacturing/maintenance facilities. In addition, there will be 200 UK jobs created in the design, supplier management, testing and commissioning of the trains; 500 jobs with major UK suppliers; 1,000 jobs will be distributed around the new and existing train maintenance and servicing centres; and up to 500 new jobs created in the UK Hitachi manufacturing facility.
	Agility anticipates that the total of 2,500 jobs will be spread throughout the UK, which will lead to a total of 12,500 jobs created or safeguarded.

Rolling Stock

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, on new trains (investment), where the design and engineering work to be carried out by Agility Trains for the new rolling stock for the East Coast and Great Western main lines is to be carried out in the first three years of the contract.

Paul Clark: Agility Trains expects the design and engineering work in the first three years of the contract to be split between the UK and Japan, with 50 UK-based design positions created from the point of contract award.

Rolling Stock

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, on new trains (investment), what percentage of new trains for the East Coast and Great Western main lines will be built in Japan by  (a) value and  (b) component.

Paul Clark: Approximately the first 70 of the 1,400 vehicles will be built in Japan. This equates to 5 per cent. of the total. Agility is committed to spending nearly three quarters of the value of the order in the UK, and is currently in active discussions with 20 high-quality UK suppliers. As no contracts have yet been signed, the Department for Transport cannot provide a split by supplier value or component at this stage.

Rolling Stock

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1531-3, on new trains (investment), whether he has estimated the level of carbon dioxide emissions likely to result from shipping the first 70 cars of rolling stock from Japan to the UK for the East Coast and Great Western main lines.

Paul Clark: No assessment has been made of carbon emissions likely to result from shipping the first 70 cars from Japan. Shipping is acknowledged as the most economical and environmentally friendly way of relocating goods worldwide, and the Government are committed to making the shipping sector even more environmentally friendly.

Vehicle Number Plates

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislative proposals to legalise the display of national flags on number plates in Great Britain to take effect on 23 April 2009.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not possible to commit to a specific date at this point as the informal consultation has not concluded and the response from the European Commission Technical Committee is not expected until early March. The outcome from these will need to be considered before I am able to determine the exact time scale in which the legislation may take effect.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

British Virgin Islands: Crimes of Violence

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many violent crimes took place in the British Virgin Islands in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) is responsible for the collation of crime statistics and have provided the following information on major crimes:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2008 724 
			 2007 610 
			 2006 649 
			 2005 725 
		
	
	The RVIPF classifies crimes as major or minor, rather than violent or non-violent. Major crimes include murder, attempted murder, rape, burglary, robbery, theft, serious assaults and sexual offences. Statistics for 2004 are not available.

British Virgin Islands: Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British tourists visited the British Virgin Islands in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Development Planning Unit of the Government of the British Virgin Islands collates arrivals figures by country of origin. Figures for arrivals from the UK were as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004 87,441 
			 2005 89,880 
			 2006 92,012 
		
	
	The Development Planning Unit has advised that figures for 2007 and 2008 are not currently available.

British Virgin Islands: Tourism

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the British Virgin Islands gross domestic product was generated by the tourist sector in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Development Planning Unit of the Government of the British Virgin Islands has provided the following statistics relating to the percentage of gross domestic product generated by the tourist sector:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 2004 30.03 
			 2005 30.40 
			 2006 30.74 
			 2007 30.97 
		
	
	The Development Planning Unit has advised that the figure for 2008 is not currently available.

Departmental Consultants

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of his Department's contracts with management consultants was in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not break down expenditure on consultants into specific categories to this level.
	Annual expenditure on consultants is published in the FCO's annual departmental reports, copies of which are available on the FCO website and can be directly accessed through the following link:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029395438.

Departmental Public Relations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of his Department's contracts with public relations consultancies was in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not break down expenditure on consultants into specific categories to this level.
	Annual expenditure on consultants is published in the FCO's annual departmental reports, copies of which are available on the FCO website and can be directly accessed through the following link:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029395438.

Departmental Public Relations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost of his Department's contracts with public affairs companies was in each of the last five years.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information of expenditure broken down into categories of companies at this level. Examining individual contracts to respond to this question would incur disproportionate costs.

Falkland Islands

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his Argentinean counterpart on the Falkland Islands in the last 10 years.

Gillian Merron: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have met their Argentinean counterparts on numerous occasions over the last 10 years to discuss a variety of different subjects. None of these meetings have been specifically about the Falkland Islands. We have made it clear to the Argentinians that there can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands unless and until such time as the Falkland Islanders so wish. The UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

Movement for Democratic Change: Harassment

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of harassment of Movement for Democratic Change officials in Zimbabwe.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 3 March 2009
	There was a spate of abductions of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists in late 2008. On 27 February 2009, many of them were granted bail but some have yet to be released. A further seven are missing, with the state denying knowledge of their whereabouts. The designated MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Roy Bennett, was arrested on 13 February 2009. He and 10 MDC supporters who were arrested after protesting Mr. Bennett's arrest also remain in police custody. A further 60 MDC supporters arrested in 2009 are also in police custody. We will continue to monitor closely reports of politically motivated harassment, and encourage the new Government to meet their international obligations.

Movement for Democratic Change: Roy Bennett

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made representations to the Government of Zimbabwe on the arrest and detention of Roy Bennett.

Gillian Merron: On 11 February, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary called for the immediate and unconditional release of all political detainees. On 16 February, Foreign Office officials made clear to the Zimbabwean embassy in London our concern about the arrest of Mr. Bennett on 13 February. Improved respect for human rights and the rule of law is a condition of international development support. We will continue to monitor developments closely and encourage the new Government to meet its international obligations.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in Somalia following the recent attack on the Burundi contingent of the AU Mission in Somalia.

David Miliband: We condemn recent attacks on the Burundi and other contingents of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). These attacks appear to have been aimed at blocking progress towards a long-term political solution to Somalia's problems. We have been encouraged that, despite the attacks, both Burundi and Uganda intend to deploy further troops to AMISOM.
	While the security situation in Somalia remains fragile, there are encouraging signs that the political process is developing momentum. The new Transitional Government convened for the first time in Mogadishu on 28 February 2009. With support from AMISOM, security personnel from the Transitional Government are in control of much of Mogadishu. We, and the rest of the international community, will continue to support President Sharif's efforts to create a stable environment that will allow the new government to begin rebuilding the country.

Somalia: Armed Conflict

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of allegations that Ethiopian troops have returned to Kalabeyrka in Somalia since the withdrawal of Ethiopian forces from the country in January 2009.

Gillian Merron: We are aware of media reporting of incursions by Ethiopian troops into Somalia since the withdrawal in January, including skirmishes with other forces. However, we have had no official confirmation.
	It is important at this stage in the Djibouti process that President Sharif is offered the space by the international community to work towards reconciliation within Somalia. Outside actors should not take any action which has the potential to undermine this process.

Somalia: Internally Displaced Persons

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 130W, on Somalia: armed conflict, what estimate he has made of the number of displaced people returning to Mogadishu following the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops in January 2009.

David Miliband: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) estimates that between 25,000 and 40,000 internally displaced persons have returned to Mogadishu this year. The Ethiopian withdrawal in January is likely to have been a major spur for these returns, but we are unable to attribute precise figures to this.
	The new Somali Prime Minister has said that assisting the return of displaced Mogadishu residents will be one of the first priorities for his administration.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the attacks in southern Sudan by the Lord's Resistance Army; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: British and US officials have discussed the current military action by the Governments of Uganda, DRC and Southern Sudan against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), including the need to limit retaliatory action by the LRA against civilian populations in southern Sudan and elsewhere in the region on a number of occasions. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not raised the issue of the LRA with his US counterpart.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken with  (a) the United Nations and  (b) the European Union to prevent further attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army in southern Sudan.

Gillian Merron: British officials have closely followed the military operation against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), along with their counterparts in the United Nations Security Council and the EU. The impact of LRA actions on civilian populations forms a regular part of our dialogue with the UN missions in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
	A UN Security Council Presidential Statement was issued on 23 December 2008, condemning Joseph Kony's refusal to sign the Final Peace Agreement and welcoming the joint efforts by the Governments of Uganda, DRC, Southern Sudan and the Central African Republic to tackle the LRA. This was followed by further a press statement in January condemning the retaliatory attacks by the LRA and calling on them to cease its attacks on civilians immediately.
	The EU issued a statement on 19 February noting the regional military action against the LRA, condemning the atrocious attacks by the LRA and calling on all involved in the military operation to protect the civilian population from further attacks.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to prevent attacks by the Lord's Resistance Army on Sudan.

Gillian Merron: The Governments of Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Southern Sudan are currently engaged in joint military action against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). We have urged all parties involved to respect fully international law, do all they can to minimise any adverse humanitarian impact and fully coordinate with the UN missions in the region. We have also called for the protection of local populations from LRA retaliatory attacks. Recent reporting suggests that the numbers of LRA attacks on civilians, which have mainly taken place in the DRC rather than Sudan, is diminishing, although it is unclear whether this is due to better civilian protection efforts, erosion of LRA capability or a change of LRA tactics.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to ensure the comprehensive peace agreement in southern Sudan is upheld.

Gillian Merron: The Government continuously seek to promote a peaceful resolution for the whole of Sudan, including ensuring the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in southern Sudan is upheld. My noble Friend, the Minister for Africa congratulated the parties to the CPA on the fourth anniversary of the agreement saying:
	"The UK is committed to work with both parties and all interested partners to support the CPA and to build stability and prosperity for the people of Sudan".
	The UK plays a leading role in furthering implementation of the CPA. We witnessed the Agreement and are observers on the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC), the body that monitors implementation. We secured the appointment of Sir Derek Plumbly, a senior UK diplomat, as Chair of the AEC. The UK pledged £330 million for development assistance in Sudan for 2008-11 at the Sudan Consortium in May 2008.
	We pursue our objectives for Sudan, including ensuring the CPA in southern Sudan is upheld, through close coordination with international partners such as the United Nations, the African Union and non-governmental organisations.

Uganda: Armed Conflict

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to assist the Ugandan authorities to arrest the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army, Joseph Kony.

Gillian Merron: The UK has not been approached for, nor provided, support to the joint military operation against the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in the northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Government of Uganda have entered into regional agreements with the Governments of DRC, southern Sudan and the Central African Republic to execute the three International Criminal Court arrest warrants against the LRA leaders. We welcome this increased regional cooperation between the Governments but urge all parties involved to fully respect international law and to do all they can to minimise the humanitarian impact and fully co-ordinate with the UN missions in the region.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Animals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's animals have died in each of the last five years.

Kevan Jones: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Casualties

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of service personnel who have survived their injuries following treatment in medical facilities in theatre in each of the last two years.

John Hutton: Figures for the number of UK service personnel to have attended a UK field hospital in Iraq and Afghanistan for battle or non-battle injuries are shown in the following table. These injuries will have ranged in severity from personnel who were very seriously injured through to minor injuries.
	
		
			   2007  2008 
			 Number of attendances by UK service personnel 2,392 1,754 
			 Number who subsequently died of their injuries 17 4 
		
	
	This equates to a survival rate of 99.49 per cent., which can be attributed to the highly skilled and professional staff of the Defence Medical Services and NHS.

Armed Forces: Housing

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much Modern Housing Solutions has paid in compensation to occupants of service family accommodation for  (a) significant defects,  (b) missed appointments and  (c) damage to property or personal injury in the last 12 months.

Kevan Jones: Under the terms of the Housing Prime Contract (HPC), Modem Housing Solutions (MHS) is not required to compensate occupants but does so voluntarily. The actual amounts and type of compensation paid is a private matter between MHS and the individuals concerned.
	However, the circumstances under which it is paid are set out on the compensation page of the company's website at:
	http://www.modernhousingsolutions.com/customer/customer_compensation.asp
	Compensation to occupants does not absolve MHS of its contractual obligations to complete work to the standards required under the HPC.

Armed Forces: Motor Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what costs are recorded of the track mile performance of the Army's wheeled vehicle fleet.

Quentin Davies: 'Track mile' is a term used in connection with tracked rather than wheeled vehicles. Information on operating costs for wheeled vehicles is not held in a format that would enable an estimate per mile to be made.

Clyde Submarine Base: Manpower

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) officers and  (b) other ranks are employed at HM Naval Base Clyde as crews on Vanguard class submarines.

John Hutton: As at 1 March 2009, 114 officers and 883 ratings were assigned to Vanguard class submarines. Data are not held in the format that allows identification of the numbers employed at HMNB Clyde. HMS Vigilant ships company will be based at HMNB Devonport for a three-year period while she is undergoing a major refit.

Economic Situation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what  (a) summits,  (b) conferences and  (c) seminars his Department has hosted since January 2008 at which a primary subject of discussion was the effect of the economic situation on matters within his Department's responsibility.

Bob Ainsworth: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	We routinely consider the implications of economic factors for defence interests and such issues are likely to have been discussed in a wide variety of meetings and seminars across the Department.

EU Rapid Reaction Force

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units are assigned to  (a) NATO and  (b) the EU under the Headline Goal.

John Hutton: The Headline Goal is a term used to describe the EU Force Planning process. The UK does not assign units to the EU Headline Goal; the UK offer to the Headline Goal does not commit the UK to any action. Requests for forces to support EU operations are considered on a voluntary case-by-case basis. The UK declaration to the Headline Goal is used for planning purposes only, to determine the shortfalls against the Level of Ambition (LOA) in order to focus capability development. The UK's full contribution to the Headline Goal 2010 is detailed in the UK's 2006 Headline Goal Questionnaire, which we placed in the Library of the House on 22 June 2007.
	NATO has a different LOA to the EU and operates a separate Force Planning process. The UK declaration to the NATO LOA is similarly used for planning purposes only and does not commit the UK to any action in NATO operations.

European Defence Agency: Finance

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has paid to the European Defence Agency in each year since it was established; and what estimate he has made of the sum of such payments to the agency in each of the next three years.

John Hutton: The amount paid to the European Defence Agency (EDA) in each of the financial years since it was established in 2004 is as set out following:
	
		
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 2004-05 1.56 
			 2005-06 2.36 
			 2006-07 2.09 
			 2007-08 1.95 
			 2008-09 3.11 
			 2009-10 (1)4.22 
			 (1) Estimated. 
		
	
	I am unable to provide an estimate of the payments for further years as we have yet to enter into negotiations with other EDA partners over future budgets.

Ex-servicemen: Community Service Orders

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of former military personnel who were serving a community service order in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Neither the Ministry of Justice nor the Ministry of Defence collects data on the number of former military personnel serving community service orders and has made no estimate. I set out our plans, in concert with the Ministry of Justice, to conduct research on the proportion of veterans in the prison population, and on offending among those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, in my answer on 26 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1061-62W.

Galileo: Secondment

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's  (a) civilian and  (b) uniformed personnel are seconded to the Galileo project.

John Hutton: There are two MOD civilians seconded to work in the EU Galileo programme, both funded by the Department for Transport who are the lead Department for Galileo: one seconded national expert on export controls, working in the European Global Navigation Satellite System Supervisory Authority (GSA); and one seconded national expert on project management, working for the European Commission's DG Transport and Environment (DG TREN). There are no UK military staff officers seconded to the Galileo programme.

Middle East: Navy

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role of the Royal Navy is in monitoring  (a) Israeli activists at sea and  (b) Palestinian seafarers.

Bob Ainsworth: The Royal Navy has no role in monitoring Israeli activities at sea or Palestinian sea-farers.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces helicopters of each type have been desertised in each of the last 10 years; and what the average cost of desertising a helicopter of each type is.

Quentin Davies: All military helicopters that operate in desert conditions have been procured fully equipped to operate in sandy environments. However, maintenance regimes are tailored to address the specific challenges of the operating conditions.

Project Bellringer

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on Project Bellringer; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: I am withholding this information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

RAF Brize Norton

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the average age is of the aircraft chartered for the purpose of transporting service personnel to and from RAF Brize Norton;
	(2)  which commercial air operators operate flights from RAF Brize Norton.

Quentin Davies: Information on the average age of aircraft is not held.
	The following is a list of commercial air operators who operated flights from RAF Brize Norton for the UK MOD in the period from 1 January 2008 to 28 February 2009;
	Air Alitalia
	Air Berlin Gmbh
	Air Charter Express
	Air Charter Transport
	Air Finland
	Air Slovakia
	Antonov Design Bureau
	ArkeFly
	Atlas Air
	Avico
	Corsair
	XL
	FlyGlobespan
	Icelandair
	Jet2.com
	Kalitta Air
	Kuzu Airlines
	Maximus Air
	MK Airlines
	Monarch Airlines
	My Travel
	Omni Air International
	Polet
	Ruslan
	Thomas Cook
	Thomson Fly
	Titan Airways
	Volgr Dneiper Airlines
	World Airways

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices: Suffolk

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people resident in Suffolk were on  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) advanced apprenticeships in each of the last five years.

Si�n Simon: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship starts, by level, in Suffolk local authority from 2003-04 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship starts in Suffolk by level 
			   Apprenticeship  Advanced apprenticeship  Total 
			 2003/04 2,300 900 3,200 
			 2004/05 1,900 700 2,300 
			 2005/06 1,700 800 2,500 
			 2006/07 1,800 700 2,500 
			 2007/08 2,600 1000 3,700 
			  Notes: 1. Local authority is based on learner's home postcode. 2. Numbers have been rounded and may not sum to total.  Source: WBL ILR 
		
	
	The Government are committed to rebuilding apprenticeships. Since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08. Completion rates are also at a record high with 64 per cent. successfully completing an apprenticeshipup from 37 per cent. in 2004/05. A remarkable achievement.

Students: Radicalism

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps are being taken to reduce levels of political and religious extremism in universities.

David Lammy: We are working with universities and student bodies to support universities in addressing the issues that can drive students into the hands of violent extremist groups. We have provided guidance to the higher education sector focussed on promoting shared values; fostering a healthy spirit of debate to engage and challenge those that hold extremist views; breaking down segregation among different communities; supporting students who may be at risk and ensuring staff and students are aware of their roles in preventing violent extremism.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1068-9W, on children: databases, what assessment he has made of the merits of enabling ContactPoint to match variant spellings of surnames.

Beverley Hughes: ContactPoint uses phonetic matching and alternatives for surnames in the same way as it does for forenames. It will also consider matches of surname against forenames. This enables ContactPoint to cater for situations where surname and forenames are interchangeable and could be incorrectly ordered, e.g. James Thomas, Thomas James.

Children: Day Care

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families by what date he expects free full-time childcare for children aged  (a) three and  (b) four years to be available.

Beverley Hughes: Each local authority has a duty to secure sufficient childcare to meet the needs of working parents and those looking to work or enter education or training, including both full and part time provision.
	In addition, all three and four year olds are entitled now to 12.5 hours of free early education for 38 weeks of the year. That offer is being extended progressively so that by 2010 all 3 and 4-year-olds will be entitled to 15 hours a weekavailable more flexibly to meet families needs.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 443W, on departmental disciplinary proceedings, how many cases of bullying and harassment in his Department have been  (a) formally investigated and  (b) referred for mediation in the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Since the answer given on 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 443W, there have been no cases of bullying and harassment in the Department that have been formally investigated or referred for mediation in the last three years.

School Leaving

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils dropped out of school before the age of 16 in  (a) Northamptonshire and  (b) England in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: Information on pupils dropping out of schools is not collected, nor can it be accurately derived from the data currently collected on pupils.

Schools: Admissions

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on shared catchment areas for schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The School Admissions Code sets out the mandatory requirements for schools and local authorities when setting and administering catchment areas. The Code provides guidelines for doing this in a fair and practical way, as part of agreed local admissions policies.
	It is for schools and local authorities to ensure that catchment areas do not exclude disadvantaged groups, and provide access to local state schools on a fair and transparent basis.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carer's Allowance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central,  Official Report, column 849W, on carer's allowance, if he will allocate resources to producing the estimates requested in the question.

Jonathan R Shaw: We have no current plans to make such estimates.

Children: Maintenance

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many child maintenance cases were closed where the parent with care was  (a) claiming and  (b) not claiming income support and (i) the non-resident parent was still liable to pay maintenance and (ii) the maintenance liability had ended in each of the last 24 months.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about child maintenance, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the child maintenance system is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many child maintenance cases were closed where the parent with care was (a) claiming and (b) not claiming income support and (i) the non-resident parent was still liable to pay maintenance and (ii) the maintenance liability had ended in each of the last 24 months.
	The information that you have requested is not available as the Child Support Agency does not record information on the maintenance liability status of a case at the point it is closed, or on the benefit status of closed cases.
	Information on the number of current scheme applications which are closed each month is routinely published in Table 2.4 of the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS). The latest copy of which is in the House of Commons library or online at the following link:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html.
	The information set out in this table is concerned with the status of cases at the application stage rather than at case closure. It includes information on applications for child maintenance made as a result of a claim for either Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Databases

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of maintaining the databases owned and managed by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies was in (i) 2006, (ii) 2007 and (iii) 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department realigned its contracts with its major suppliers, EDS and BT, in 2005, which means the Department only pays for the IT services it consumes.
	As the contract pricing mechanisms are based on the volumes of services consumed, it is not possible to separately identify the elements of the service costs that relate to the maintenance and management of databases.

Departmental Official Hospitality

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on  (a) alcohol and  (b) food in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions does not separately account for its expenditure on either alcohol or food for hospitality purposes. Expenditure on alcohol and entertaining falls within the classification Hospitality within Managing Public Money, the use of which is strictly prescribed, and in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, which is based on the principles set out in Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety. Accordingly, alcohol is provided only as an exception and only with the specific written authority of a small number of designated senior civil servants.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 855-6W, on public expenditure, how much his Department's year-end stock of money, net of stock drawn down to fund in-year spend, was in each year since 2002; and what his estimate is for this figure at the end of 2008-09.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions' year-end stock of money not spent in earlier years since 2002 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Year-end stock of money not spent (000) 
			 2002-03 1,394,874 
			 2003-04 917,664 
			 2004-05 692,893 
			 2005-06 594,027 
			 2006-07 795,943 
			 2007-08 800,883 
		
	
	The year-end stock of money not spent in earlier years is calculated net of stock drawn down to fund in year spend and includes additional stock generated in year.
	The stock of money not spent (commonly referred to as end of year flexibility) is determined at the end of each financial year in conjunction with HM Treasury and is published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (PEOWP).
	As part of the pre-Budget report 2008 the Department was provided with funding to support the impact of the economic downturn in 2009-10 and 2010-11. The Department agreed to contribute its end of year flexibility stock towards this additional funding.
	It is therefore expected that there will be no remaining stock of money at the end of 2008-09.

Employment

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 24 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 283-4W, how many of the 300,000 new jobs expected under company agreements had been created at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Through Local Employment Partnerships, Jobcentre Plus and its partners work to enable employers to recruit disadvantaged jobless people in greater numbers. More than 100,000 people have already been helped into work through Local Employment Partnerships.

Employment Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what back to work support will be offered to lone parents or partners of benefit claimants with children aged  (a) nought to two,  (b) three to six and  (c) over six years old who are not part of the progression to work pathfinders.

Kitty Ussher: One of the core recommendations from the Gregg Review of conditionality was the creation of a new 'Progression to Work' group. Gregg recommends that this new approach should be for those people who may not be ready to work immediately, but who with the right mix of support and encouragement could get back into employment. This model would apply to employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants (other than those in the ESA support group) and lone parents and partners of children aged one to six. The 'Progression to Work' pathfinders have been created as a result of this recommendation.
	The claimants involved in the 'Progression to Work' group will be required to actively engage with their adviser on an ongoing basis to consider, discuss and agree an action plan comprising activities they think will improve their prospects of moving back into work. They must then undertake these agreed activities as part of their own journey towards employment following directions from advisers where these are strictly necessary. This will be underpinned with recourse to sanctions for those failing to engage with support without good cause. However, although still in the 'Progression to Work' group, lone parents and partners with children aged one and two will be encouraged, rather than required, to undertake work-related activity and will not be sanctioned for refusing to undertake work-related activity.
	This pathfinder will cover approximately 10 to 15 per cent. of the new ESA claimants and parents with a youngest child aged between one and less than seven nationally. This equates to roughly 65,000 ESA claimants, 60,000 lone parents and 10,000 partners of benefit recipients each year. These pathfinders are anticipated to begin in late 2010 and last for two years. They are likely to be across six districts and delivery will be a mixture of provider led and Jobcentre Plus led.
	Lone parents with children aged less than seven who are not part of the 'Progression to Work' pathfinders are required to attend six-monthly work focused interviews where they can access information about voluntary participation in the new deal for lone parents as well as access a wide range of support to help them move into, and remain and progress in, work.
	This package of support under new deal for lone parents is also available to lone parents affected by the new benefit requirements introduced in November 2008 for lone parents with older children. However, once a lone parent has been in receipt of jobseeker's allowance for 12 months, they will switch to contracted flexible new deal provision. This will provide personalised help to all participants, including specialised help for lone parents.
	Partners of benefit claimants can also, through mandatory work focused interviews, access information about voluntary participation in the new deal for partners, which provides a similar level of provision to new deal for lone parents such as specialised advice, support and training in helping partners to enter or return to work.

Employment: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what equality impact assessment has been undertaken on the commissioning of a specialist disability employment programme; what risks have been identified in the procurement process; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 26 February 2009
	 An equality impact assessment on the new specialist disability employment programme was undertaken as part of the White Paper Raising expectations and increasing support: reforming welfare for the future impact assessment. This was published online in December 2008 at
	www.dwp.gov.uk/raisingexpectations.
	The equality impact assessment will be regularly reviewed.
	The new disability employment programme is being progressed through a formal project within DWP, and the project management process includes identifying and managing all potential risks. A number of these have commercial implications, so listing them would not be appropriate at this time.

Members: Correspondence

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2009,  Official Report, column 787W, if he will direct his Department to send copies of the responses to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West's letters on behalf of his constituent Joe Shepherd to the hon. Member's constituency office.

Jonathan R Shaw: Copies of both letters were e-mailed to the hon. Member's constituency office on 4 March 2009. Copies were also sent in the post on the same day.

Pensions: Inflation

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to reduce inflation inequality between people of pensionable age and people of other ages.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Work and Pensions is required to review all social security benefits each year to ensure they have retained their value in relation to prices (or, for the standard minimum guarantee in pension credit, earnings). Generally the contributory benefits are increased in line with the retail prices index and the income related benefits increased by the Rossi index which is the retail prices index with the housing elements removed.
	The retail prices index takes account of changes in the cost of a wide range of goods and services and reflects the average increases in costs that people face year-on-year. Increasing benefits in line with this measure ensures that benefits keep their real value in broad terms.
	The new rates that will come into force from April have been increased in line with inflation as measured last September, when the retail prices index was 5 per cent. and the Rossi index was 6 per cent. These increases are, against a backdrop of falling inflation, in line with the highest increase in inflation last year. The increase in the standard minimum guarantee in pension credit to 130 for single pensioners (198.45 for pensioner couples) represents the highest up-lift since it came into force in 2003.
	The Department recognises that different groups may currently be experiencing varying levels of inflationary pressure and is aware that the Office for National Statistics produces a quarterly 'Pensioner Prices Index' that relates to pensioners who derive more than 75 per cent. of their income from state benefits. This measure is not used to increase pensioner benefits because it is not representative of the whole pensioner population, therefore the Department does not consider that pensioner benefits should be up-rated in a different way to benefits for other age groups.
	Pensioners have received additional winter fuel payments this year that have increased the payments to 250 for households with someone aged 60-79 and 400 for households with someone aged over 80.
	Furthermore, the Department has also increased the Christmas bonus from 10 to 70 and increased the cold weather payment from 8.50 to 25 this year. This additional support goes to entitled recipients of both pension age and working age and provides direct financial support to help vulnerable groups through the economic downturn.

Remploy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with representatives of Remploy on their future plans; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Ministers have regular dialogue with Remploy about progress in delivering their modernisation plan and their future strategy. In particular, the Minister for Disabled People is working very closely with Remploy on the implementation of their modernisation plan. This includes chairing a cross-Government ministerial group on public procurement.

Social Fund

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of social fund loan applications were processed within the target actual average clearance time in the last 12 months.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 5 March 2009
	The available information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of s ocial fund loan applications processed within the average actual clearance time standard in Great Britain 
			   Budgeting loans  Crisis loans 
			  2008   
			 February 81 (1) 
			 March 82 92 
			 April 74 92 
			 May 65 93 
			 June 61 (1) 
			 July 76 93 
			 August 82 94 
			 September 80 93 
			 October 79 93 
			 November (1) 93 
			 December 67 (1) 
			
			  2009   
			 January 84 93 
			 (1 )Not available.  Notes: 1. The average actual clearance time standard for budgeting loans is six working days and for crisis loans is two working days. 2. The clearance time for an individual loan application is measured in whole working days from the date the application is received until the date the decision is taken on whether to make a loan offer, plus, if a loan offer is made, the number of whole working days between receiving the applicant's reply to the offer and the recording of that reply. The minimum clearance time recorded for an individual loan application is one working day, even if the application is cleared immediately.  Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Social Security Benefits: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) benefit and  (b) incapacity benefit was in (i) each principal seaside town, (ii) each lower layer super output area in each principal seaside town and (iii) the UK (A) in 2004 and (B) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Social Security Benefits: Databases

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) data matching and  (b) data accuracy software his Department uses to ensure that databases used to support the benefit system are accurate.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 29 January 2009
	Information Directorate utilises data internally transferred from benefit paying systems and a number of other sources. Those data sets are matched to highlight inconsistencies and anomalies. The software used for data matching is currently Excel, Access and SAS. Information Directorate also utilises the skills of its IT contractors (EDS) to undertake certain matching exercises on its behalf. The results of such matching exercises form the information basis for further investigation into the accuracy of claims on the benefit systems.
	The Department's benefit systems have a number of internal control mechanisms and processes, and are in some cases self-validating. This ensures that, where possible, data fields cannot be populated with incorrect or anomalistic data. The Department also utilises audit techniques to assure the accuracy of its benefit paying systems.

Winter Fuel Payments

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to increase the take up of the winter fuel allowance, with particular reference to men aged between 60 and 65 years;
	(2)  how many people in Newport West constituency  (a) were eligible to claim and  (b) claimed the Winter Fuel Allowance in 2007-08.

Rosie Winterton: The vast majority of winter fuel payments are made automatically based on information held in DWP records, without the need to claim. A small proportion of people whose circumstances we do not know, because they are not on state pension or other benefits administered by DWP, do need to make a claim so that their eligibility can be assessed.
	For people newly eligible and not in receipt of a benefit administered by DWP, for example men aged 60 to 65 who are in work, we can only determine eligibility once they have submitted the relevant information on a claim form. We send claim forms to customers approaching 60 who we have identified as becoming potentially newly eligible from DWP records, but are not at that time in receipt of state pension.
	To raise awareness of eligibility of winter fuel payments and, where appropriate, the need to make a claim each year, we run an extensive advertising campaign and series of press releases in regional and national newspapers. We also make reference to winter fuel payments in government leaflets. The claim form is available on the Pension Service website, with full details available on the Direct Gov internet site.
	It is therefore not possible to say how many people may be eligible for a winter fuel payment and are not receiving it. We can only assess eligibility for those people who are in contact with the Department and whose circumstances are known to us.
	In winter 2006-07, the last year for which figures are available, 16,720 people in the Newport, West constituency received a winter fuel payment.

HEALTH

Blood: Contamination

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold a public inquiry into the infection of haemophiliacs with hepatitis C and HIV due to the use of contaminated blood by the NHS.

Dawn Primarolo: We have considered the call for a public inquiry very carefully. However the Government do not consider a further inquiry is justified as it would not add to current knowledge about how infections happened or the steps taken to deal with the problem.
	Although the Government do not accept that any wrongful practices were employed, successive Governments have acknowledged the tragic circumstances surrounding infection in recipients of blood and blood products. That is why ex-gratia payment schemes were established.

Blood: Contamination

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to pay compensation to haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C and HIV following the use of contaminated blood by the NHS.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has set up three ex gratia payment schemes for those infected with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis C through national health service treatmentthe Macfarlane Trust, the Eileen Trust and the Skipton Fund Ltd.
	The Macfarlane Trust was set up in 1988 to establish a hardship fund to assist haemophiliacs who contracted HIV following treatment with blood products on the NHS.
	The Eileen Trust was set up in 1993 as a charitable trust to assist people other than those with bleeding disorders, who had contracted HIV through NHS treatment with contaminated blood products.
	The Skipton Fund Ltd was set up in 2004 as an ex gratia payment scheme for patients infected with hepatitis C through NHS contaminated blood and blood products, provided the patient was alive on 29 August 2003.
	The Department is giving Lord Archer's report the consideration it deserves and will respond as soon as it has done so.

Contaminated Blood and Blood Products Inquiry

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration his Department gave to providing witnesses to give evidence in public to the Archer Inquiry into contaminated blood and blood products.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has never received any formal request to give evidence to the inquiry. There are no serving officials who would have any first hand knowledge of the events being investigated. However, the Department has fully co-operated with the inquiry, meeting with Lord Archer's team several times and supplying copies of relevant official documents.

Maternity Services: Finance

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 235W, on maternity services: finance, what arrangements his Department has put in place to ensure that funds allocated to primary care trusts under payment by results for the delivery of maternity care are spent on the provision of maternity care.

Ann Keen: The payment by results system does not inform the allocation of funds to primary care trusts (PCTs). Payment by results is the mechanism through which providers are paid by PCTs for a range of services, including maternity that fall within the scope of the national mandatory tariff.
	It is for the national health service trusts to deploy this funding in line with national and local priorities and local plans. Maternity services are identified as a priority in the 2009-10 NHS Operating Framework.
	All strategic health authorities (SHAs) have already set out plans to improve maternity services as part of the NHS Next Stage Review. PCTs are working with trusts to deliver these plans and SHAs will be holding PCTs to account for delivering their plans.

Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1396W, on nutrition, what codes his Department used in collating the information provided in the answer.

Dawn Primarolo: In the previous answer, malnutrition is classified between the ICD-10 codes E40-E46 and 025. The codes are set out as follows.
	E40 Kwashiorkor
	E41 Nutritional marasmus
	E42 Marasmic kwashiorkor
	E43 Unspecified severe protein-energy malnutrition
	E44 Protein-energy malnutrition of moderate and mild degree
	E45 Retarded development following protein-energy malnutrition
	E46 Unspecified protein-energy malnutrition
	Also:
	025 Malnutrition in pregnancy
	 Nutritional Anaemia :
	D50 Iron Deficiency anaemias
	D51 Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemias
	D52 Folate deficiency anaemias
	D53 Other nutritional anaemias
	 Other  n utritional deficiencies :
	E50 Vitamin A deficiency
	E51 Thiamine deficiency
	E52 Niacin deficiency
	E53 Deficiency of other group B vitamins
	E54 Ascorbic acid deficiency
	E55 Vitamin D deficiency
	E56 Other vitamin deficiencies
	E58 Dietary calcium deficiency
	E59 Dietary selenium deficiency
	E60 Dietary zinc deficiency
	E61 Deficiency of other nutritional elements
	E63 Other nutritional deficiencies

Transplant Surgery: Republic of Ireland

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many transplant operations were performed on people from the Republic of Ireland in each of the last 10 years; how many organs for transplant were imported from the Republic of Ireland in each of the last 10 years; and how much the Irish Government paid the NHS for the procedures in each such year.

Ann Keen: Information on how much the Irish Government paid the national health service for the procedures in each year in the following table is not held centrally. The following table shows transplants performed on residents of the Republic of Ireland in United Kingdom NHS hospitals, April 1998 to March 2008, broken down by financial year and type of transplant.
	
		
			  Transplant year  Kidney  Heart  Lung(s)  Heart/ lung  Liver  Liver/ kidney  Liver/ pancreas  Total organ transplants  Cornea  Sclera  Total 
			 1998-99  1 2 2 3   8 6  14 
			 1999-2000  2 7 4 10   23 7 3 33 
			 2000-01  1 5 2 4   12 4 1 17 
			 2001-02   8 1 5 1  15   15 
			 2002-03   11 1 7   19 1 1 21 
			 2003-04   14  2   16 2  18 
			 2004-05 (1)1 1 6  2   10 8  18 
			 2005-06  2 6  (2)4   12 3  15 
			 2006-07 (1)1 1 10  (1)7 1 1 21 1  22 
			 2007-08  2 4  3 1  10   10 
			 Total 2 10 73 10 47 3 1 146 32 5 183 
			 (1) One from a living donor. (2) Two from living donors. 
		
	
	The following table shows organs from deceased donors in hospitals in the Republic of Ireland received (although not necessarily transplanted) in UK NHS hospitals, April 1998 to March 2008, broken down by financial year and type of organ.
	
		
			  Year of transplant  Kidneys  Hearts  Lungs  Livers  Pancreata  Total organs 
			 1998-99 12 12 10 40  74 
			 1999-2000 7 18 17 36  78 
			 2000-01 6 13 25 20  64 
			 2001-02 10 8 23 28  69 
			 2002-03 5 16 21 38  80 
			 2003-04 6 5 23 42 1 77 
			 2004-05 0 5 14 22  41 
			 2005-06 0 4 13 11  28 
			 2006-07 2 7 10 17  36 
			 2007-08 1 8 7 14  30 
			 Total 49 96 163 268 1 577

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Subsidies

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many warning letters were sent to farmers by the Rural Payments Agency for cross-compliance breaches under the  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006 and  (c) 2007 Single Payment Scheme.

Jane Kennedy: The number of warning letters sent to farmers by the Rural Payments Agency for breaches of cross compliance in the three years is as follows:
	
		
			  Single payment scheme year  Number of letters issued 
			 2005 369 
			 2006 434 
			 2007 422

Agriculture: Subsidies

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid in agri-monetary compensation in the county of Hertfordshire since 9 January 2002.

Jane Kennedy: Unfortunately the data required to provide payment information for earlier years are not held in a form that is easily accessible, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Animal Welfare: Charities

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animal welfare charities based in the UK have received funds from the public purse in each of the last five years; and how much was awarded to each.

Jane Kennedy: It is not general Government policy to provide funding to animal welfare charities. However, DEFRA had a signed agreement to provide funding of 75,000 to the Companion Animal Welfare Council via the Welfare Fund for Companion Animals. The agreement was for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2008. The money was allocated in three annual payments of 25,000 each in the three consecutive financial years 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08. This covers England only, and not the devolved Administrations.

Animal Welfare: Trapping

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have been made to  (a) regulations and  (b) guidelines on the operation of animal snares over the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 4 March 2009
	The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came into force in England on 6 April 2007. This Act contains strong protection for animals under the control of man to help prevent unnecessary suffering, and covers any animal held in a snare.
	Following an informal consultation on snares and traps and their use carried out in 2003, DEFRA convened an Independent Snares Working Group chaired by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. In October 2005 we published the working group's report together with the DEFRA Snares Action Plan and the DEFRA Code of Good Practice on the use of Snares in Fox and Rabbit Control in England.
	The DEFRA Code of Good Practice provides guidance on responsible use of snares.

Badgers: Wales

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he last discussed policy on badger culling with representatives of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Jane Kennedy: The Secretary of State last discussed bovine tuberculosis (TB) and badger culling with Elin Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Rural Affairs, in November 2008 when they met at the EU Agriculture Council.
	Although responsibility for bovine TB is fully devolved the disease is a high priority for Governments in England and Wales. Officials in DEFRA are in regular contact with those in the Welsh Assembly Government on matters related to the disease and its control.

Beef: Exports

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to which countries beef reared in the UK may be exported; and how much was exported to each such country in each of the last 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: In theory the UK can export beef to any country in that the EU-imposed worldwide ban on UK beef exports was lifted in May 2006. In practice re-establishing markets for UK beef in third countries has been difficult due to continued fears over BSE and the need to negotiate market access on a country by country basis. We are working with industry to identify key third country markets so that negotiating resources can be targeted effectively. Other EU countries face similar barriers in trying to export their beef to many third countries.
	According to HMRC statistics the UK has exported beef to 103 countries in the last ten calendar years (1999-2008). Countries with imports in excess of 1 million over this period are detailed in table 1 and table 2 as follows. During the period March 1996 to May 2006, UK exports were restricted to small quantities of UK beef exported under the strict criteria in the Data-Based Export Scheme (DBES) and to foreign origin beef re-exported under the Export Approved (XAP) Scheme. It is not possible to identify only beef reared in the UK from the HMRC statistics although non-UK reared beef will only form a small proportion of UK exports after May 2006.
	
		
			  Table 1: Value of UK exports of beef, 1999-2008( 1) 
			  000 
			  Country  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008( 2) 
			 Irish Republic 6,510 9,019 5,969 10,575 13,380 16,179 23,193 32,098 56,184 75,930 
			 Netherlands 9,899 9,330 9,328 8,551 7,291 3,950 2,189 24,979 33,448 57,630 
			 France 2,098 2,100 1,150 1,168 615 1,490 1,822 14,877 20,256 27,972 
			 Italy 1,326 1,289 660 518 1,393 892 629 9,155 7,883 22,023 
			 Germany 2,615 2,052 4,257 2,433 2,148 2,470 1,250 6,326 5,359 7,657 
			 Belgium 312 634 695 24 421 881 708 4,515 5,216 10,893 
			 Spain 528 328 633 808 427 710 598 3,362 2,723 2,949 
			 Denmark 741 379 843 95 50 183 64 992 2,268 6,653 
			 Switzerland 9 15 8 193 587 3,495 
			 Sweden 304 303 40 12 10 9 8 888 873 1,546 
			 Greece 0.3 15 4 64 10 11 12 775 2,111 923 
			 Kuwait 3 8   502 823 812 443 287 769 
			 Portugal 211 417 36 33 120 280 47 706 269 605 
			 Afghanistan30 73 113 178 243 271 769 
			 Poland  3 8 159 652 669 
			 USA 7 3 34 73 842 314 
			 Falkland Islands 35 35 34 93 120 198 129 95 66 382 
			 Others (86 countries) 720 1,124 686 488 419 174 163 949 1,239 1,333 
			 Grand total 25,318 27,053 24,378 24,891 26,981 28,363 31,808 100,828 140,533 222,513 
			 (1) Includes bone in bovine, boneless bovine, edible offal and prepared/preserved bovine meat products. (2) 2008 data are subject to amendments 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Volume of UK exports of beef, 1999-2008( 1) 
			  Tonnes 
			  Country  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008( 2) 
			 Irish Republic 2,767 3,318 2,971 4,028 6,196 5,948 8,030 10,807 21,169 31,852 
			 Netherlands 2,486 2,119 1,978 1,645 1,423 830 789 13,831 20,652 27,463 
			 France 1,484 1,885 792 1,033 603 1,039 770 5,983 9,783 7,989 
			 Italy 413 443 287 199 458 415 256 3,509 2,682 4,101 
			 Germany 1,160 428 1,293 890 993 963 1,419 4,043 3,082 3,228 
			 Belgium 86 108 227 9 225 612 233 2,846 3,298 5,771 
			 Spain 200 96 282 291 208 322 239 1,902 1,458 886 
			 Denmark 223 123 188 69 67 114 30 352 1,098 2,216 
			 Switzerland 16 5 3 29 42 404 
			 Sweden 130 128 14 9 9 2 2 415 399 347 
			 Greece 1 2 1 24 5 5 5 345 899 325 
			 Kuwait 6 21   216 279 248 162 119 205 
			 Portugal 68 143 17 12 51 73 19 145 67 217 
			 Afghanistan7 21 26 51 84 89 1,463 
			 Poland  3 22 291 1,152 1,024 
			 USA 1 1 8 1 388 68 
			 Falkland Islands 13 11 10 33 46 60 46 31 23 98 
			 Others (86 countries) 301 437 301 187 120 66 79 1,033 884 1,222 
			 Grand total 9,355 9,271 8,373 8,436 10,643 10,754 12,238 45,811 67,284 88,880 
			 (1) Includes bone in bovine, boneless bovine, edible offal and prepared/preserved bovine meat products. (2) 2008 data are subject to amendments.

Bees: Research

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on research into  (a) colony collapse disorder and  (b) the varroa destructor mite in each of the last six years.

Jane Kennedy: The causes of the syndrome called colony collapse disorder in the USA are currently unclear and we have no current evidence to suggest that it is occurring in the UK. DEFRA provided an additional 27,000 to the National Bee Unit for work related to abnormal colony losses in 2007-08 and, with the Welsh Assembly Government, provided 120,000 in the current year to continue this work. DEFRA funded a project on the fungal control of Varroa jacobsoni (destructor) between 2002 and 2006 at a cost of 383,802.

Biofuels

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has taken in response to the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of OSS Group  v. Environment Agency in relation to the burning of used cooking oil to generate electricity; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA will shortly publish a consultation paper on draft guidance on the definition of waste. The draft guidance will set out DEFRA's views on, among other things, the court's judgment in the OSS case.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to introduce a penalty for farmers who delay having a herd bovine tuberculosis test.

Jane Kennedy: Farmers are already subject to a penalty for overdue tests. Under the 'zero tolerance' policy farmers who do not ensure their herds are tested by specified deadlines have movement restrictions immediately applied on their herds. The Government can also prosecute cattle owners who fail to comply with the testing requirements laid down in the Tuberculosis (England) Order 2007.
	At this time, we have no plans to introduce any additional penalties for farmers who delay having a herd bovine tuberculosis test.

Cattle: Transport

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle have been issued with cattle passports in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: Over the last three years a total of 8,005,014 passports have been issued for newly registered cattle. The passports issued for each individual year, from 1 January to 31 December are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006 2,733,661 
			 2007 2,569,133 
			 2008 2,702,220 
		
	
	These figures represent the number of first issue passports and not the overall number of passports issued including replacements.

Climate Change

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what policy objectives the provisions of section 76 of the Climate Change Act 2008 are intended to meet.

Jane Kennedy: In line with good practice, the Government expect that authorities will use all the powers available to them proportionately and sensibly, hand in hand with effective communications and support for residents.
	All authorities will continue to have to meet existing requirements to collect household waste. In addition, local authorities have a duty, under section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), to keep land under their control clear of litter and refuse.
	Section 76 of the Climate Change Act 2008 provides clarification as to the legal status of the section 46 notice.

Dogs

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the efficacy of the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: In 2007 we undertook a review of the dangerous dogs legislation. DEFRA consulted all chief officers of police in England and Wales to find out their views on how effective the dangerous dogs legislation is, what could be done to improve enforcement and whether any parts of the law need to be changed.
	Responses indicated that police forces would benefit from further guidance on the existing legislation and DEFRA aims to publish this soon.

Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs against how many people orders have been made under section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871 in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: Records of such orders are only held by the individual courts which issued them. No central record is kept and to collect the information would incur disproportionate cost.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in what circumstances waste collection authorities may refuse to collect domestic waste from households.

Jane Kennedy: Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) empowers waste collection authorities to specify the conditions of their waste collection service.
	Section 46 of the EPA also requires the authority to inform the recipients of their service of those conditions by way of a Section 46 notice.
	The precise circumstances would therefore depend upon the locally determined conditions as specified.

Farmers: Manpower

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farmers there were in each agricultural sector in England in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The figures on the following tables show the number of farmers, partners, directors and their spouses (if working on the holding) by farm type in England. The farm types for 1997 to 2000 are presented separately from the 2001 to 2008 types because of differing farm type definitions.
	
		
			  Total farmers, partners, directors and spouses by farm type (based on predominant activity) in England 1997 to 2000 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000 
			 Cereals 29,179 29,870 28,232 31,406 
			 General cropping 19,561 18,687 18,171 17,163 
			 Horticulture 14,140 13,643 13,239 15,562 
			 Pigs and poultry 7,433 7,235 6,777 8,483 
			 Dairy 35,104 34,405 33,216 31,418 
			 Cattle and sheep (LFA) 15,299 17,071 16,956 17,007 
			 Cattle and sheep (lowland) 42,146 42,057 43,300 48,872 
			 Mixed 19,415 19,918 18,567 19,400 
			 Other types 24,144 25,270 24,904 31,620 
			 All types 206,421 208,156 203,362 220,931 
		
	
	
		
			  Farmers, partners, directors and spouses by farm type (based on pre dominant activity) in England 2001to 2008 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Cereals 35,100 34,298 33,835 34,527 33,672 33,929 34,818 35,402 
			 General cropping 18,766 17,346 16,578 16,286 14,812 14,654 13,619 12,843 
			 Horticulture 17,247 16,762 15,932 15,978 14,826 14,734 13,494 13,263 
			 Specialist pigs 2,949 2,999 2,743 3,030 3,349 3,111 3,418 3,625 
			 Specialist poultry 7,335 7,356 7,177 7,792 9,514 8,911 9,002 9,877 
			 Dairy 30,178 30,425 28,918 28,057 26,168 25,706 21,082 20,122 
			 LFAgrazing livestock 17,752 19,184 18,501 19,188 18,843 21,266 20,657 20,194 
			 Lowlandgrazing 
			 Livestock 45,766 48,090 47,815 53,380 53,219 50,306 46,779 45,827 
			 Mixed 22,825 23,364 22,796 19,366 19,720 18,991 15,875 15,915 
			 Other types 35,913 25,697 24,828 26,756 28,837 32,163 40,258 42,436 
			 All types 233,828 225,520 219,123 224,362 222,961 223,770 219,004 219,505 
			  Notes:  1. Includes full and part-time farmers, partners directors and spouses (if working on the holding).  2. Figures prior to 2000 are for main holdings only. From 2000 onwards main and minor holdings are included.  3. Farm type categories were altered in 2001.  4. A register improvement exercise was undertaken in 2001. Labour figures prior to this are not directly comparable with later results.  Source:  June Agricultural Survey

Food

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage of  (a) meat,  (b) eggs,  (c) bread,  (d) wheat,  (e) fruit,  (f) vegetables and  (g) milk consumed which was produced domestically in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: Estimates of the percentage of meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables and milk consumed and which were produced domestically are provided in table 1. These figures are based on volumes of production and trade.
	This information is not available for bread production. However data on the tonnage of wheat grain used for milling and the proportion of wheat grain that is home grown is collected and is shown in table 2. This is also based on volumes but is for the crop year rather than calendar year. The grain will be milled into flour for a range of purposes including bread, biscuits and cakes. It is not possible to provide information that distinguishes home grown wheat grain milled for bread flour.
	
		
			  Table 1: Estimate of the percentage consumed from domestic production for various commodities 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Meat 75 76 74 72 72 69 67 65 66 67 65 
			 Liquid drinking milk 98 97 98 98 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 
			 Eggs 92 94 93 89 88 85 82 83 85 81 77 
			 Wheat 91 90 91 92 88 91 91 94 91 92 90 
			 Fruit 8 7 9 8 8 7 6 6 7 6 7 
			 Vegetables 63 69 69 69 65 61 60 59 57 57 55 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Estimate for the percentage of home grown wheat grain milled into flour for bread, cake, biscuit and other uses 
			   Percentage 
			 1996-97 87 
			 1997-98 81 
			 1998-99 82 
			 1999-2000 83 
			 2000-01 84 
			 2001-02 83 
			 2002-03 84 
			 2003-04 86 
			 2004-05 83 
			 2005-06 84 
			 2006-07 85 
			 2007-08 79

Food: Packaging

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding his Department provided for research into food packaging methods in each of the last five years.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA has provided no direct funding for such research but does provide funding to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
	WRAP has provided a total of 3,542,000 to fund research into food packaging methods in each of the last five years. This is broken down by year in the following table.
	
		
			  Funding amounts 
			   Amount () 
			 2004-05 251,000 
			 2005-06 1,886,000 
			 2006-07 596,000 
			 2007-08 650,000 
			 2008-09 159,000

Horse Meat: Exports

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses were slaughtered for meat to be exported for human consumption in the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: This figure is not available. However, in 2008 3,084(1 )horses were reported as having been slaughtered in the UK for human consumption.
	(1 )Data provided by the National Equine Database.

Horses

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1082W, on horses, in what percentage of the samples taken from horses entering the UK evidence of inappropriate usage of veterinary medicinal products has been found in the last 12 months.

Jane Kennedy: Samples are taken from a small number of horses entering the food chain. These are taken as part of the UK statutory surveillance programme checking the appropriate use of veterinary medicinal products in accordance with EU legislation. It is a requirement that the sampling officers target animals which they believe may have been recently treated, and which therefore may contain concentrations of authorised veterinary medicines above the maximum residue limit, or treated with an unauthorised substance.
	Horses are not tested when they enter the UK. However, some horses selected for sampling under the Veterinary Medicines Directorate's (VMD) surveillance programme may have come from another country.
	In 2008, 105 horses submitted for slaughter for human consumption were sampled. 13 of the samples tested were from horses that originated from outside the UK. Three of the 105 samples tested revealed non-compliant residues of a veterinary medicinal product which should not have been present in horses presented for the food chain. All three were from horses submitted from within the UK.
	As indicated in the earlier answer, the VMD requires investigations to be carried out into non-compliant samples.

Horses

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1082W, on horses, what percentage of abattoirs in England slaughter horses for human consumption.

Jane Kennedy: There are 373 approved slaughterhouses in England, Scotland and Wales. Of these, two are licensed to process horses for human consumption, which is 0.54 per cent. of the total.

OSS Group

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency has taken to implement the Court of Appeal's ruling in the case of R (OSS Group Ltd) v Environment Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Environment Agency and the DEFRA-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) consulted on the quality protocol for the production and use of processed fuel oil from waste lubricating oil (WLO) in 2008.
	The quality protocol has been developed using the methodology of the waste protocols project. The Environment Agency has been considering responses to the consultation and hopes shortly to issue a final draft quality protocol. This will be submitted to the European Commission under the Technical Standards Directive where other member states will be consulted.

Packaging: EU Law

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which  (a) retailers and  (b) manufacturers have achieved compliance with EU regulations on (i) minimisation and (ii) recycling of packaging.

Jane Kennedy: In 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, overall targets for recovery and recycling of packaging waste were achieved. These targets apply to manufacturers, converters, pack-fillers and sellers of packaging.

Sheep: Electronic Tagging

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on electronic tagging of sheep in the last two years.

Jane Kennedy: Officials have had extensive discussions with the Commission regarding the electronic identification (EID) of sheep. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs also met with Commissioner Vassiliou in September 2008 to discuss our concerns.
	At the end of 2007 we secured a two year extension to the implementation date of EID until 31 December 2009. In 2008 we secured important changes to the timetable for the introduction of individual recording on movement documents up until 31 December 2011 and lifetime changes for sheep born before the implementation of EID which are moving direct to slaughter. The phasing in of the individual recording requirements will reduce the recording burden on industry, particularly in relation to older animals.
	We also facilitated a Commission Mission of EID technical experts to the UK between 2-6 February to demonstrate the practical problems and challenges our industry face with implementation. We will be working closely with the Commission to see whether there is scope for further flexibility for the way in which we implement the regulation.

Veterinary Surgeons: Regulation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legislation regulates the activities of practising veterinary surgeons; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) confirms the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons in the UK with responsibility for regulating the professional education and conduct of veterinary surgeons.
	There are no immediate plans to legislate to update the VSA 1966. Following the recent report on the VSA by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (HC 348), the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is reviewing its own proposals for the reform of the Act. We recognise the need for DEFRA to remain engaged on this issue and have offered the Presidents of the RCVS and British Veterinary Association an opportunity to discuss their ideas and concerns with the Chief Veterinary Officer.

Waste and Resources Action Programme

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 4 November 2008,  Official Report, column 401W, on the Waste and Resources Action Programme, what assessment the Waste and Resources Action Programme has made of the effectiveness of using Chelgate to improve engagement outside its established stakeholder group;
	(2)  what  (a) reports and  (b) written briefing documents Chelgate produced for the Waste and Resources Action Programme as part of its engagement exercise.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) on 9 October 2008, to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst on 4 and 17 November 2008 and to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 19 November 2008.
	The requested data concerns the detailed operational activities of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), and is not therefore held by DEFRA. I understand that the chief executive of WRAP has offered to meet the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst to discuss any issues of concern to him, and I would encourage him to take up that offer.

Waste Disposal: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 21 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 757-58W, on waste disposal: fees and charges, if he will place in the Library a copy of the dataset and background research obtained by his Department on the distributional impacts of waste charging in Flanders.

Jane Kennedy: DEFRA purchased data on the distributional impacts of waste charging in Flanders. This was used to inform the Impact Assessment of powers to pilot local authority incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling. The Impact Assessment was published on 15 November 2008 and is available on DEFRA's website.

JUSTICE

Adoption: Appeals

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the judgment for refusal of permission to appeal on 22 October 2008 in the case of Rachel Pullen (case number NG07C02187) has not been provided to the appellant; and when he expects to receive a copy of the judgment for the purposes of the European Court of Human Rights.

Bridget Prentice: The provision of judgments in individual cases is a matter for the judiciary, who are independent of Government.

Courts: Domestic Violence

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many specialist domestic violence courts there are in each constituency; and how many are located in  (a) urban and  (b) rural areas.

Bridget Prentice: There are currently 104 specialist domestic violence courts. As court boundaries are not coterminous with constituency boundaries, it is not possible to specify the number in each constituency. Their existence in 39 out of 42 Local Criminal Justice Board areas locates them, however, in urban and rural areas across England and Wales.

Mentally Disturbed Offenders

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 474W, on the Bradley Review, what date he has set for the publication of Lord Bradley's review.

David Hanson: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 3 March 2009, Official Report, column l507W.
	The Government expect to be able to publish Lord Bradley's report, along with the response, before the end of April 2009.

Offenders: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prisoners on early release and  (b) people currently on bail and not living at their previous home are (i) housed and (ii) planned to be housed in Castle Point.

David Hanson: The information requested could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. Data on release addresses are not collected for defendants released on bail nor for all of those prisoners serving sentences of under 12 months. If the hon. Member is referring to the Bail and Accommodation Support Service for those released on bail or on Home Detention Curfew I can advise that there are still no properties in Castle Point and no plans to provide any there.

Political Parties: Finance

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will refer to the Committee on Standards in Public Life the matter of tax exiles and non-domiciled people who donate to UK political parties; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: The Government believe that the issue of the relationship between taxation status and political donations would need to be considered in the wider context of the relationship between taxation status and democratic participation generally.
	The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) is independent of Government; it is for the Committee to decide which subjects it examines. We approached the Committee to ask whether they would be open to investigating this matter but have been advised that the work programme of the Committee does not allow them to pursue the matter at this time.
	The Government will reflect on how this issue might be taken forward.

Prisoners: Religion

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convicted prisoners in custody in each prison in England and Wales professing each religion have been identified by his Department, the prison authorities or the police as religious extremists.

David Hanson: The Home Office will shortly be publishing a Statistical Bulletin covering those persons arrested following a terrorist investigation with the resulting charges and convictions. This bulletin will also include information on those remanded or convicted of terrorism act or terrorism related offences at 31 March 2008 broken down by nationality and religion.

Tribunals

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many appeal cases have been brought before  (a) social security appeal tribunals and  (b) disability appeal tribunals in each of the last eight years;
	(2)  how much  (a) social security appeal tribunals and  (b) disability appeal tribunals cost in each of the last eight years.

Bridget Prentice: The information requested in not readily available. The Tribunals Service will need to collate information from 40 different benefit types. The Tribunals Service is unable to break down the costs for each jurisdiction; however it can provide information on running costs for SSCSA for 2006-07 and 2007-08 and annual accounts for the Appeals Service prior to 2006-07.
	I will write to the hon. Member very soon and place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refugees have been resettled in the UK under the Gateway programme in each year since it was introduced.

Meg Hillier: Figures for those resettled under the Gateway Protection Scheme since its inception are published annually in the Asylum Statistics bulletin. The bulletin can be found by following this link:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb1108.pdf
	The required information can be found on page 87, paragraph 37. I will arrange for a copy of this report to be placed in the Library.

Criminal Records Bureau

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedure is followed to transfer Criminal Records Bureau clearance when an employee who has obtained a clearance moves to another post.

Meg Hillier: Disclosures are primarily designed to be used by an employer at the point of recruitment for a particular position. Ultimately it is for each employer, and not the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), to decide whether a new disclosure should be applied for, bearing in mind their legal and other responsibilities and subject to any statutory requirements.
	There are a number of reasons why an employer may not wish to accept a disclosure that has been processed for a previous employment position, including:
	The disclosure may not be at the right level (there are two different levels of CRB check; standard and enhanced);
	Information revealed through a CRB check reflects the information that was available at the time of its issuea person may have committed a crime in the intervening period;
	The disclosure process may also include a search to establish whether an individual is subject to a direction under Section 142 of the Education Act 2002, or a check against the Protection of Children Act and Protection of Vulnerable Adults PoCA and PoVA) lists.
	The CRB does not hold data to show the number of people who are required to apply for a further clearance after changing jobs.

Identity Cards: Interviews

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the duration of the leases on the interview centres leased by her Department for the purposes of the identity cards pilot is.

Meg Hillier: The Identity and Passport Service has yet to decide the location of the initial enrolment facilities and is working closely with Manchester and London City airports to determine the best locations at or near the airports.

Passports: Interviews

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many interviews at passport centres had resulted in the refusal of a passport as at 31 January 2009.

Meg Hillier: The interview is one part of the process of confirming the identity of first time adult passport applicants and one of the main purposes of the process is to deter anyone from making a false application for a passport. At 31 January 2009, the Identity and Passport Service had closed 87 cases without issuing a passport after the applicant had failed an identity interview. At present 107 other cases are being investigated following failure to establish identity at interview.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Relations: Religion

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 1041-42W, on community relations: religion, what guidance her Department issued in 2008 on the amount available in round one of the Faiths in Action programme administered by the Community Development Fund; what mechanisms her Department used to make funding allocations in accordance with guidance; how the funding originally announced has been allocated; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The guidance issued by the Community Development Foundation and my Department in July 2008 confirmed the total amount available for the Faiths in Action programme (4 million) and the maximum grant size for Round One12,000, to be spent over two years. This has not changed. A total of 2.4 million is available in Round One: 600,000 in 2009-10 and 1.8 million in 2010-11. We are currently considering Round One applications with the fund administrator and expect to announce the successful projects in the spring.

Departmental Training

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her Department has provided voice coaching to any of its employees in the last 12 months.

Sadiq Khan: Department for Communities and Local Government does not centrally hold information on voice coaching provided for employees. There would be a disproportionate cost in trying to obtain such information.

Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1227W, on Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund, what groups, causes or organisations the Community Development Foundation has funded using public funds other than those allocated to the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund programme rounds; and how much was given to each.

Sadiq Khan: The information requested has been deposited in the Library.

Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 2 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1227W, on Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund, which other groups, causes or organisations were funded in each round of the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund programme; and how much was given to each.

Sadiq Khan: The information requested has been deposited in the Library.

Fire Prevention

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate was made of the cost of implementation of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 before it was introduced; and what the cost of implementation has been.

Sadiq Khan: The regulatory impact assessment for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 estimated the overall cost to business of obtaining the guidance and becoming familiar with it to be within the range of 66 million to 88.8 million.
	The cost of implementing the provisions of the order will vary according to the outcome of individual fire safety risk assessments carried out by responsible persons. This information is not collected centrally.

Geographical Information Systems

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she plans to take to develop her Department's policy on geospatial information following the publication of its Location Strategy.

Sadiq Khan: Following publication of the Location Strategy, responsibility for its delivery passed to DEFRA, who have established the UK Location Council to oversee implementation of the strategy. The Department is a member of the Location Council and is working closely with DEFRA to agree how best to contribute to the implementation of the strategy.

Joint Economic Commissions

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to Lord Greaves of 23 February 2009,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column 26WA, on the Joint Economic Commission, in which other Government Office regions in England joint economic commissions have been established.

Sadiq Khan: Economic Commissions have been established in all 9 regions, East Midlands Regional Economic Cabinet, Yorkshire and the Humber Economic Delivery Group West Midlands Regional Task Force, East of England Regional Economic Forum, South East Economic Delivery Council, North East Public Sector Economy Forum, South West Regional Economic Task Group, London High Level Group on London Economy and the North West Joint Economic Commission.

Local Government Services: Religion

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to her speech to the Evangelical Alliance of 5 February 2009, what her policy is on permitting faith organisations delivering public services to  (a) discriminate in employing service providers,  (b) discriminate against service users and (c) proselytise.

Sadiq Khan: Any bodies in receipt of public funding in order to provide a service should provide that service in accordance with all relevant equality legislation.
	In order to help faith-based organisations demonstrate that they will fulfil this requirement, and will not use public funds for the purpose of worship or proselytisation, we have said that we intend to work with faith communities to create a Charter of Excellence which faith-based organisations will be able to sign in order to give assurance to funding providers. The current legislative position is covered by part 2 of the Equality Act 2006, and while we do not intend to bring forward any new legislative proposals, the main provisions of the 2006 Act are to be replicated in the forthcoming Equality Bill.

WALES

Departmental Absenteeism

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff of his Department were recorded absent for non-medical reasons on  (a) 2 February 2009 and  (b) 3 February 2009; what estimate he has made of the (i) cost to his Department and (ii) number of working hours lost as a result of such absence; and what guidance his Department issued to staff in respect of absence on those days.

Paul Murphy: The following number of Wales Office staff were absent from work for non-medical reasons:
	 (a) 24
	 (b) 9
	While there was clearly a cost to the Department, no estimate as to the exact cost has been made, however based on a standard working day, if reckoned in full, this would have amounted to 238 working hours. The Department was not closed and the majority of staff managed to attend. A number of others were able to work remotely.
	Staff were advised to attempt to attend if at all possible, but not to take unnecessary risks or put themselves in danger.

Departmental Public Appointments

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information his Department holds on the number of persons appointed to executive positions in bodies for which his Department has responsibility in the last five years who previously had careers in the banking industry.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office is not responsible for any non-departmental bodies or agencies.

Departmental Training

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has provided voice coaching to any of its employees in the last 12 months.

Paul Murphy: No voice coaching has been provided to any Wales Office employees in the last 12 months.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Heating: Housing

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average cost of heating a property with gas boilers over the winter of 2008-09.

Joan Ruddock: DECC publishes information on the average annual gas bill for households. The latest data, published in Quarterly Energy Prices, suggests that customers paying on receipt of bill (standard credit) with standard annual gas consumption of 18,000 kWh paid on average 570 in 2008.
	Data on average annual gas bills are available in section 2 of Quarterly Energy Prices, the latest edition was published in December 2008 and is available online at:
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file49203.pdf

Office for Renewable Energy Deployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) full-time equivalent and  (b) other staff are employed by the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 4 March 2009
	The ORED has not yet been established and therefore there are currently no staff employed in it.

Office for Renewable Energy Deployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment is in 2008-09, broken down by budget heading.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 4 March 2009
	As the ORED will be established as the Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) and finalised in the spring, it does not have a budget for 2008-09. The ORED's budget for 2009-10 is currently subject to the business planning round process in the Department.

TREASURY

Annuities: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters he has received from residents in the Hemel Hempstead constituency regarding annuities in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information is not kept and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Bradford and Bingley

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Bradford and Bingley business plan to be  (a) finalised and  (b) published.

Ian Pearson: The business plan will be completed by the end of March and a summary version will be published on Bradford and Bingley's website shortly afterwards.

Departmental Correspondence

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters to his Department had not been replied to within 28 days as at 12 February 2009.

Angela Eagle: This information is not held in the form requested.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many civil servants in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for (i) losing and (ii) deliberately disclosing (A) data stored on departmental equipment and (B) confidential information in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many members of staff in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: In respect of deliberate disclosure of data and confidential information, there is a nil return for HM Treasury.
	In respect of loss of data or confidential information and loss of departmental equipment, there have been less than five such cases within HM Treasury since 1997.
	The equivalent information for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is contained in the following table and is for financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09. The figures given for loss include building and security passes as well as (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers, (iv) mobile telephones, tapes and discs, but the equipment concerned did not necessarily hold data. HMRC does not record loss of equipment or loss of data separately. Equivalent information was not recorded centrally by HMRC and its predecessor Departments for earlier periods.
	
		
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 Investigated for loss 11 8 
			 Investigated for disclosure 24 17 
			 Suspended 6 5 
			 Dismissed 5 8

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) original expected cost,  (b) original expected delivery date,  (c) actual cost incurred and  (d) actual delivery date was of each ICT project undertaken and completed by his Department in each year since 1997; who the contractors for each project were; what the (i) initial estimated and (ii) outturn payment to each contractor was; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The following table provides the planned and actual costs and delivery dates for Treasury IT projects costing over 50,000 since 2007. Prior to that, this information was not collected centrally. None of these projects were contracted-out.
	
		
			  IT project  Approved budget (000)  Actual costs (000)  Planned delivery  Actual delivery 
			 Common Infrastructure Management Tools 462 162 November 2008 November 2008 
			 Oasis Desktop Refresh 154 150 June 2008 May 2008 
			 OGC Desktop Refresh 54 0 January 2008 May 2008 
			 OGC Laptop Refresh 138 273 August 2008 November 2008 
			 OGC Blackberry 52 52 November 2008 November 2008 
			 Restricted Blackberry Rollout 86 81 June 2008 August 2008 
			 Safedial and Confidential Laptop 850 741 June 2008 August 2008 
			 Switch Replacement services. 785 675 August 2008 November 2008 
			 Group Networks 629 580 March 2008 October 2008 
			 Managed Printers 230 76 September 2007 May 2008

Departmental Internet

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits there have been to his Department's euro website in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The euro website www.euro.gov.uk was established in 2001. For previous answers referring to visits to the euro website I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1312W; 11 June 2007,  Official Report, column 824W; 25 July 2006,  Official Report, column 1350W; 10 October 2005,  Official Report, column 280W; 24 June 2004,  Official Report, column 1470W; 14 April 2003,  Official Report, column 548W. Statistics for 2001-02 were not recorded.

Equitable Life: Compensation

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that the ex-gratia payment scheme for Equitable Life policyholders is in accordance with the recommendation of the parliamentary ombudsman that the scheme should be simple and not impose undue burdens on those making claims.

Ian Pearson: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 January 2009,  Official Report, column 377.

Equitable Life: Compensation

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the amount of compensation which will be paid to Equitable Life policyholders in  (a) 2008-09,  (b) 2009-10,  (c) 2010-11 and  (d) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government do not have the necessary information at present to make an assessment of payments to Equitable Life policyholders under the ex-gratia payment scheme it has announced.
	The Government have asked Sir John Chadwick to consider several issues in relation to the relative losses suffered by Equitable Life policyholders. This work will be used to help inform the creation of a fair payment scheme for policyholders who have suffered a disproportionate impact, taking account of the position of the public purse, as well as practical considerations.

Financial Services Authority: Pay

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are in place at the Financial Services Authority for the payment of bonuses to staff; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: This matter is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. Details of the FSA's reward and remuneration policy can be found at:
	www.FSA.gov.uk/pages/library/other-publications/staff/staff-handbook/money/index.shtml

Government Departments: Procurement

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department issues to other Government Departments on the consideration of the human rights records of contractors in relation to decisions on bids for procurement contracts.

Angela Eagle: All public procurement is subject to the principles of the EC treaty and the UK Public Contracts Regulations 2006, which implement the EC Public Procurement Directives.

International Business Advisory Council

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times the International Business Advisory Council has met; what the cost of each meeting was; and who attended each meeting.

Ian Pearson: The International Business Advisory Council met at a breakfast meeting on 17 November 2006.
	In addition to the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, the attendees were: Mr. Robert Rubin (Citigroup), Sir Li Ka-Shing (Hutchinson Whampoa), Sir John Rose (Rolls Royce), Dr. J P Gamier (then of GSK), Mr. Ratan Tata (Tata Group), M Bernauld Arnault (LVMH) and Ms Meg Whitman (then of ebay). The event cost 421.
	In June 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown established the Business Council for Britain, which replaced the International Business Advisory Council, to advise on domestic and international business issues. Former members of the International Business Advisory Council are invited to attend formal meetings of the Business Council for Britain, and a number of them have done so.
	For information on the current work of the Business Council for Britain please consult the BERR website:
	www.berr.gov.uk/about/bcb/index.html

Public Expenditure: Scotland

Adam Ingram: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Barnett consequentials will be for Scotland of the recently announced funding to underwrite private finance initiative/ public-private partnership (PFI/PPP) schemes; and what mechanisms will be used to ensure that that funding is spent on PFI/PPP schemes in Scotland.

Yvette Cooper: There are no Barnett consequentials as the funding is not devolved and will be available on a UK wide basis. It is for the Scottish Executive to decide whether it wishes the Treasury to consider funding for any eligible PFI schemes in Scotland on the same basis as UK Government Departments.

Tax Havens

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the review of the British offshore financial centres announced in the last pre-Budget report.

Ian Pearson: The independent review of British offshore financial centres will publish an interim report in time for the Budget in April 2009. The interim report will outline the key themes of the review, which will form the basis for consultation with interested parties.

VAT: Repairs and Maintenance

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect a reduction in the rate of value added tax on repairs and maintenance would have on  (a) the care and conservation of historic buildings and  (b) the construction industry.

Stephen Timms: No such assessment has been made.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Marketing

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1415W, on departmental marketing, which advertising campaigns that were  (a) launched and  (b) maintained in 2007-08; and what the cost of each was.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office is unable to provide a breakdown in the format requested. However the following table illustrates the major expenditure relating to advertising by the Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and Executive NDPBs:
	
		
			  Advertising Campaign  2007-08 Expenditure () 
			 Theft from Vehicles campaign 63,492 
			 Unknown Callers campaign 50,199 
			 Howsecureismyhome Website 88,233 
			 Firearms Team Fireworks campaign 20,000 
			 2007 Fireworks Safety campaign 173,312 
			 Public Appointment of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland 76,157 
			 Public Appointments for Equality Commission 24,214 
			 Counterfeit Goods Christmas campaign 28,654 
			 Extortion campaign 5,029 
			 Public Prosecution Service Recruitment campaign 20,385 
		
	
	Some of these figures may also include crime prevention initiative costs which are not part of the original advertising costs quoted in the answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1415W.
	Campaigns such as the Fireworks Safety Campaign have had a positive effect in reducing incidents of accidents involving fireworks. In 2006 there were 69 injuries; in 2008 there were 32 injuries.
	The Howsecureismyhome website is part of the Government's effort to reduce the numbers of households which fall victims to burglariesdown by 24.6 per cent. from 9064 in 2001-02 to 6831 in 2006-07.
	All campaigns subject to evaluation to deliver best value.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on staff surveys in each of the last five years; and which company was contracted to conduct each such survey.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS has spent the following on staff surveys in the last five years:
	
		
			   Survey  Company  Cost () 
			 2005 Staff Opinion Survey ORC 20,000 
			 2007 Staff Opinion Survey ORC 21,540 
			 2008 Stress Audit Clarion 2,056 
		
	
	In addition, the Department undertakes limited scope follow-up pulse surveys on a quarterly basis to a representative sample of staff. These surveys are internally delivered, using an online survey tool resource.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 3 February 2009 on noise limits for musical performances.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A response has been sent to the hon. Member today 6 March 2009.

Stonehenge: Olympic Games 2012

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for a temporary tourism facility at Stonehenge during the London 2012 Olympics.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 4 March 2009
	The Government have stated their commitment to delivering environmental improvements at Stonehenge, including new visitor centre facilities by 2012. To this end, the Stonehenge Project Board has recommended to Ministers a location for the new visitor centre, following a public consultation. I am currently considering the recommendation and an announcement will be made in due course.

Video Games: Classification

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what impact assessment his Department has undertaken of options for changes to the system of age classification for video games.

Barbara Follett: A preliminary impact assessment of the options for change was published with the video games classification consultation in August 2008. This can be viewed using the following link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/5345.aspx.
	In the meantime work is being done to develop the evidence further on the impact of the various options. A final impact assessment will be published as soon as a decision has been made.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bangladesh: Overseas Aid

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid has been provided by the Government to Bangladesh in each of the last five years; and how much is planned to be provided in 2009-10.

Michael Foster: Details on DFID's bilateral expenditure and imputed share of multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) are contained in the DFID publication Statistics on International Development. This publication is available from in the Library and online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk.
	Relevant figures are produced in the following table.
	
		
			  DFID expenditure in Bangladesh, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  000 
			   Total DFID Bilateral Programme  DFID Imputed Multilateral Shares 
			 2003-04 55,383 28,162 
			 2004-05 127,904 22,538 
			 2005-06 123,368 40,093 
			 2006-07 109,313 45,435 
			 2007-08 129,392 41,923 
		
	
	DFID's future spending allocations were laid out in DFID's annual report 2008, published in May 2008. A copy of this publication is available online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk
	and is also available in the Library. DFID has allocated 125 million for the Bangladesh programme in 2009-10.

Overseas Aid: Finance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Government response to the International Development Committee's report on HIV/AIDS and his Department's new strategy, HC 235, what the Government's imputed share of core contributions to multilateral organisations was in the last 12 months, broken down by recipient organisation.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development's (DFID) imputed share of multilateral expenditure on health systems in 2007-08 are reproduced as follows.
	
		
			  DFID imputed share of multilateral ODA to the health sector, 2007-08 
			  (000) 
			  Multilateral organisation  Percentage of health spending (2007 values)  Imputed DFID share of health spending (2007-08) 
			 European Commission 3.7 32,000 
			 World Bank (International Development Association) 6.2 30,662 
			 African Development Fund 1.5 923 
			 Asian Development Fund 2.8 790 
			 UNAIDS 100.0 19,000 
			 UNICEF 45.6 11,861 
			 World Health Organisation 100.0 5,500 
			 UN Population Fund 100.0 20,000 
			 UNDP 3.2 1,983 
			 General budget support provided through multilateral organisations(1)  26,875 
			 Total  149,594 
			 (1) 15 per cent. of general budget support is assumed to fund health systems.

Overseas Aid: Finance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's  (a) funding contributions in the last 12 months and  (b) planned funding contributions in the period up to 2015 to multilateral organisations will form part of the Government's 6 billion spending commitment on health systems strengthening.

Michael Foster: In 2007-08 the Department for International Development's (DFID) multilateral contributions accounted for 20 per cent. of total spending on health systems. No formal projections for the remaining period to 2015 have been made. More information on DFID's overall funding of multilateral organisations to 2010-11 was laid out in DFID's annual report 2008. A copy of this publication is available in the Library or online at www.dfid.gov.uk. Future decisions on health systems funding will consider the most appropriate split between bilateral and multilateral channels to deliver the optimal development outcomes without compromising the overall spending commitment.

Overseas Aid: Finance

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate his Department has made of its imputed share of core contributions to each multilateral organisation which it funds in each year up to 2015.

Michael Foster: No formal projections for the period up to 2015 have been made. More information on DFID's overall funding to multilateral organisations up to 2010-11 was laid out in DFID's annual report 2008. A copy of this publication is available from the Library or online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk.

St. Helena: Airports

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to make a final decision on the construction of an airport on St. Helena; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: We are reviewing whether it is right to proceed with this project in the present difficult economic climate. We will announce the outcome of our considerations just as soon as we are able to.

St. Helena: Airports

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research his Department has undertaken into the  (a) economic,  (b) financial and  (c) social consequences for St. Helena of a decision not to proceed with the construction of an airport on St. Helena; and what the nugatory costs to the public purse of such a decision would be.

Michael Foster: The 2005 Feasibility Study, which is in the public domain, examined the economic, financial and social consequences of both sea and air access.

St. Helena: Airports

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what private sector financial assistance has been offered to his Department to help fund the construction of an airport on St. Helena; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The St. Helena Leisure Corporation Ltd. (SHELCO) has written to the Department with ideas for private sector participation. I met representatives on 2 March for a discussion to clarify its proposition.

St. Helena

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's total budget allocation to St. Helena was in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Foster: Details on DFID's bilateral expenditure and imputed share of multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) are contained in the DFID publication Statistics on International Development. This publication is available from in the Library and online at
	www.dfid.gov.uk.
	Relevant figures are produced in the following table.
	
		
			  DFID expenditure in St. Helena and Dependencies, 1998-99 to 2007-08 
			  000 
			   Total DFID Bilateral Programme  DFID Imputed Multilateral Shares 
			 1998-99 8,805  
			 1999-2000 9,363  
			 2000-01 10,116  
			 2001-02 10,106  
			 2002-03 9,555 7 
			 2003-04 10,525 15 
			 2004-05 14,481  
			 2005-06 13,564  
			 2006-07 15,692 1,298 
			 2007-08 17,550 198

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Children: Employment

Karen Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the number of children of school age who undertook part-time employment in each region in  (a) 1990,  (b) 2000 and  (c) 2007.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of children of school age who undertook part-time employment in each region in (a) 1990, (b) 2000 and (c) 2007. (259757)
	This information is not available from statistical surveys or administrative sources held centrally.

Death

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many death certificates mentioned the word obesity in the cause of death section in the last five years;
	(2)  how many death certificates included alcohol misuse or abuse in the cause of death section in the last five years;
	(3)  how many death certificates included depression in the cause of death section in the last five years;
	(4)  how many death certificates included eating disorder in the cause of death section in the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, 1 have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	a) How many death certificates included alcohol misuse or abuse in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260412)
	b) How many death certificates included depression in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260413)
	c) How many death certificates included eating disorder in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260414)
	d) How many death certificates mentioned the word obesity in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260409)
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths a) i) where there was either a mental and behavioural disorder due to use of alcohol, or accidental poisoning by alcohol mentioned on the death certificate (table 1), ii) with an alcohol-related underlying cause, according to the ONS definition (table 2), b) where depression was mentioned on the death certificate (table 3), c) where an eating disorder was mentioned on the death certificate (table 4), and d) where obesity was mentioned on the death certificate (table 5), in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	It should be noted that the figures presented in tables 3-5 are likely to underestimate the actual number of deaths in which the factors mentioned were involved. The reporting of deaths due to self-harm or self-neglect, which are likely to include those involving depression (table 3) and/or an eating disorder (table 4) are dependent on the complete and accurate recording of all relevant causes of death by coroners. Obesity (table 5) may play an important role in deaths due to heart disease or diabetes, but is rarely recorded on the death certificate.
	
		
			  Table 1: Deaths where either a mental and behavioural disorder due to alcohol or accidental poisoning by alcohol were mentioned on the death certificate,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 2,649 
			 2004 2,767 
			 2005 3,026 
			 2006 3,104 
			 2007 3,465 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F10 (Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol) or X45 (Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol). Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2:  Deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2)  2003 to 2007( 3) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 6,425 
			 2004 6,488 
			 2005 6,627 
			 2006 6,964 
			 2007 7,042 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box following. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1: Alcohol-related causes of deathInternational Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excl. Biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3. Deaths where depression was mentioned on the death certificate,( 1)  England and Wales ,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 1,682 
			 2004 1,630 
			 2005 1,474 
			 2006 1,494 
			 2007 1,484 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes F32 (Depressive episode) and F33 (Recurrent depressive disorder). Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4: Deaths where eating disorders were mentioned on the death certificate,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 36 
			 2004 31 
			 2005 39 
			 2006 46 
			 2007 48 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code F50 (Eating disorders). Deaths were included where this cause was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 5: Deaths where obesity was mentioned on the death certificate,( 1)  England and Wales,( 2)  2003-07( 3) 
			  Persons 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 888 
			 2004 901 
			 2005 993 
			 2006 1,150 
			 2007 1,203 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code E66 (Obesity). Deaths were included where this cause was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.

Death

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many death certificates mentioned the word ketamine in the cause of death section in the last five years;
	(2)  how many death certificates included drug misuse or abuse in the cause of death section in the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	a) How many death certificates mentioned the word ketamine in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260410)
	b) How many death certificates included drug misuse or abuse in the cause of death section in the last five years. (260411)
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where a) the underlying cause was drug poisoning and ketamine was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate (table 1), b) the underlying cause was drug poisoning, where any drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate (table 2), in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of deaths attributed to drug poisoning( 1)  where ketamine was mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales,( 2)  2003 to 2007( 3) 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 0 
			 2006 2 
			 2007 6 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the box below) and where ketamine was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. Number of deaths from drug misuse,( 1 ) England and Wales,( 2 ) 1997 to 2007( 3) 
			   Deaths 
			 2003 1,432 
			 2004 1,495 
			 2005 1,608 
			 2006 1,573 
			 2007 1,604 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the box below) and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  ICD-10  Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Departmental Postal Services

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of letters sent by his Department were given to  (a) the Royal Mail and  (b) another postal services provider for delivery in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which organisations for which his Department has responsibility and oversight contract with postal service providers other than the Royal Mail; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the estimated percentage of the electorate on the electoral register is in each local authority area in the UK, ranked in descending order; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, 1 have been asked to reply to your question asking what the estimated percentage of the electorate on the electoral register is in each local authority in the UK ranked in descending order. (260165)
	ONS do not have information on the number of people eligible to vote. The closest approximation to the figures you have requested is the number of people who were registered to vote in Local Government elections as a percentage of the estimated resident population aged 18 and over. The table shows this for each Local Authority in the UK in 2007. This is the latest year for which estimates of the usually resident population are available by Local Authority. A copy of the table has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages. There maybe an underestimation in some areas, as not everyone who is usually resident is entitled to vote. For example foreign citizens from outside of the EU and Commonwealth are not eligible to vote.
	Conversely, for other areas the percentages may be over estimates and, in some cases, exceed one hundred per cent as figures for the registered electorate may be inflated. People who have more than one address may register in more than one place (e.g. students may register at parental and term-time addresses) and electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or died.

Internet

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many homes in the UK have an internet connection installed.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician 1 have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many homes in the UK have an internet connection installed. (260347)
	In 2008, an estimated 16.5 million UK households had Internet access. This represented 65 per cent of UK households and an increase of 1.2 million households since 2007. These are the latest estimates available. This information is taken from the annual First Release on Internet Access 2008, published in August 2008. The Interviews to compile this information took place over January to March 2008.
	The First Release is available via this link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5672
	The 2009 First Release will be published later this summer.

National Income

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 748W, on national income, what proportion of growth in UK gross domestic product came from growth in the financial services and banking sectors in each year from 1997 to 2007.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the proportion of growth to which Financial Services contributes to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 1997 and 2007. (260101)
	When assessing industry percentages to total production it is more appropriate to assess against Total Gross Value Added (GVA) than GDP. This is because GDP equals GVA plus unallocated taxes and subsidies such as VAT which are not able to be allocated to industry production.
	In chained volume GVA basic price terms (see footnote for definitions) for the calendar years 1997 to 2007 Total Financial Intermediation (which includes banking, insurance, pension funding and financial auxiliaries) contribution to Total GVA is provided in Table 1. A further breakdown is also provided which gives the contributions of the three components of Total Financial Intermediation.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Percentage 
			   Contributions to GVA Total all industries  GVA at basic prices: chain volume index movements 
			  Name  Financial intermediation except insurance and pension funding  Insurance and pension funding, except compulsory social security  Activities auxiliary to financial intermediation  Financial intermediation (total)  Total all industries 
			 SIC Div 65 Div 66 Div 67 Div 65-67  
			  Calendar year  
			 1994  
			 1995 0.09 0.00 -0.01 0.08 2.7 
			 1996 0.11 0.10 0.04 0.25 2.8 
			 1997 0.19 0.05 0.02 0.27 3.3 
			 1998 0.26 0.01 0.00 0.28 3.8 
			 1999 0.34 -0.03 -0.04 0.26 3.6 
			 2000 0.23 -0.01 0.04 0.26 3.9 
			 2001 0.16 -0.02 0.07 0.21 2.2 
			 2002 0.19 -0.01 0.04 0.22 1.8 
			 2003 0.38 0.01 0.06 0.45 2.9 
			 2004 0.32 -0.05 0.03 0.29 2.7 
			 2005 0.32 -0.02 0.05 0.35 2.1 
			 2006 0.36 0.08 0.14 0.58 2.9 
			 2007 0.43 -0.03 0.26 0.66 3.0

Public Houses

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people were employed in the  (a) brewing and  (b) public house sectors in each year since 1998.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in the  (a) brewing and  (b) public house sectors in each year since 1998. (260494)
	The available information for people aged 16 and over is provided in the attached table.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). These estimates are based on the respondents' views about the organisation for which they work.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The figures have been derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. Consequently the 2008 estimate is not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  People aged 16 and over in employment by industryThree month period ending December, 1998 to 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand 
			   Brewing( 1)  Public house( 2) 
			 1998 45 256 
			 1999 39 254 
			 2000 34 232 
			 2001 29 241 
			 2002 32 253 
			 2003 34 244 
			 2004 34 262 
			 2005 23 252 
			 2006 23 252 
			 2007 27 263 
			 2008' ***24 **211 
			 (1 )Comprises Standard Industrial Classification (92)15960 Manufacture of beer. (2 )Comprises Standard Industrial Classification (92)55402 Public houses and bars. (3 )Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates, as described as follows:  Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CVfor example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 [le] CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 [le] CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 [le] CV  20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV ≥ 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Note: It should be noted that the above estimates exclude people in most types of communal establishment (eg hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc.)   Source:  Labour Force Survey.

Public Houses

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the number of public houses which have closed in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the remit of the UK National Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the number of public houses which have closed in each of the last 10 years for which figures arc available; and to make a statement. (261070)
	Annual statistics on business births, deaths and survival are available from the ONS release on Business Demography. Data on business deaths is only available back as far as 2002 in this series. The table below contains the count of enterprise deaths of public houses for 2002-2007.
	
		
			  Table showing counts of Enterprise 'deaths' within Public Houses SICs for the years 2002-07 
			  Standard Industrial Classification  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 55402Independent public houses and bars 5,530 6,775 6,875 6,175 5,300 5,260 
			 55403Tenanted public houses and bars 2,150 2,610 2,950 2,590 2,310 2,340 
			 55404Managed public houses and bars 130 200 255 315 345 350 
			 Total 7,810 9,585 10,080 9,080 7,955 7,950

Retirement: Education

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people were in  (a) full-time education and  (b) retired from employment in (i) England and (ii) North Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were in (a) full-time education and (b) retired from employment in (i) England and (ii) North Yorkshire in each year since 1997. (260046)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor, the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS), following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Estimates arc provided for the number of working age people (women aged 16-59, men aged 16-64) who state they are full-time students. A full time student is defined as being at school, following a sandwich course or full time at university or college. Estimates are also provided for the number of people retired from employment: this is defined as those who are economically inactive and report their main reason for inactivity as being retired.
	Table 1 attached shows the number of working age persons in full-time education resident in England and in the North Yorkshire region in each year since 1997. The estimates from 1997 to 2004 are for the 12 month period ending February that year and taken from the annual LFS. Figures for 2005 to 2008 are for the 12 month period ending March that year and taken from the APS. Estimates for July 2007 to June 2008 have also been provided, as the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.
	Table 2 attached shows the number of people who are retired from employment resident in England and in the North Yorkshire region in each year since 1998. Estimates are provided for the 12 months ending in February from 1998, the earliest period for which estimates are available, to 2004, from the annual LFS, and for the 12 months ending in March from 2005 to 2008, from APS. Estimates for July 2007 to June 2008 have also been provided, as the most recent for which figures are available.
	These estimates are for subset of the population and not for the country as a whole, so they are based on reduced sample sizes. They are therefore subject to larger margins of uncertainty than are national estimates. A guide to the reliability of the estimates is given with the tables.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of persons of working age( 1)  in full-time education( 2)  in (a) England and (b) North Yorkshire in each year since 1997. 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  England  North Yorkshire 
			 February 1998 2,093 18 
			 February 1999 2,077 23 
			 February 2000 2,120 19 
			 February 2001 2,179 17 
			 February 2002 2,257 18 
			 February 2003 2,329 23 
			 February 2004 2,387 23 
			 March 2005 2,460 23 
			 March 2006 2,572 24 
			 March 2007 2,643 24 
			 March 2008 2,716 23 
			 June 2008(3) *2,737 ***23 
			 (1) Working age (women aged 16 to 59, men aged 16 to 64). (2) Coverage applies to all respondents, of working age, who stated they are full-time students. A full-time student is defined as being at school, following a sandwich course or full-time at university or college. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 [le] CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 [le] CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 [le] CV  20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV ≥ 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Source:  Annual Labour Force Survey  Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of people who are retired( 1 ) from employment in (a) England, (b) North Yorkshire in each year since 1997. 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  England  North Yorkshire 
			 February 1998 (2) (2) 
			 February 1999 7,894 139 
			 February 2000 7,946 144 
			 February 2001 7,977 115 
			 February 2002 8,125 109 
			 February 2003 8,131 103 
			 February 2004 8,136 102 
			 March 2005 8,203 116 
			 March 2006 8,239 117 
			 March 2007 8,217 112 
			 March 2008 8,200 114 
			 June 2008(3) *8,248 **118 
			 (1 )The number of people retired from employment is defined as those who are economically inactive and report their main reason for inactivity as being retired. (2 )Data are not available for March 1997 to February 1998. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical robustness  * 0 [le] CV 5 Estimates are considered precise. ** 5 [le] CV 10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise. *** 10 [le] CV  20 Estimates are considered acceptable. **** CV ≥ 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes.  Source:  Annual Labour Force Survey  Annual Population Survey